Hundreds packed the Al Mamzar Theatre in the Dubai Cultural and Scientific Association to listen to charming tales from the Irish broadcaster Terry Wogan, who hosted an hour-long session during which he warmly recalled his childhood and detailed his rise from working in a bank to becoming one of British television's most-loved personalities.
While his broadcasting career was a talking point, Wogan spent most of the evening detailing his Irish roots, which he investigated in his BBC documentary series Terry Wogan's Ireland last year.
With anecdotes and quips aplenty, Wogan spoke of growing up in the Irish city of Limerick as the son of a shop manager and studious fly-fisher.
"He loved to fish, but for my father it wasn't about the fishing. I think this is the case for most fishermen; it's not the fishing but the getting ready for it," he said.
"And I would sit there watching the corned beef sandwiches curl in the end, waiting for him to fish. Because to tie the flies, that's what he really wanted. And then, as the sun would go down behind the hedges, he would cast his first fly. As darkness would be setting in, he would get us on the bicycle – put me on the handle bars – and would go home to my mother who couldn't cook to save her life."
Wogan said his move to banking and then radio was a way to take more personal responsibility, after deeming his parents spent enough money on his education.
He was surprised he was one out of the hundreds of applicants asked to attend an audition to be a radio announcer for the fledgling Irish broadcaster RTÉ.
"I lied to the bank manager and told him I was going to the dentist," Wogan recalled. "And I went in there for the audition and they offered me announcer training. You see, they used to train announcers then, they don't anymore, that's why you get so many idiots, really, in news."
When asked to describe his most challenging broadcasting moment, Wogan recalled his early years with RTÉ. He remembered how all announcers at the time would have to read the news in a locked studio "in case some illegal organisation would charge into the studio and tear the news from you".
Describing himself as a "delicate child", Wogan began his 30-minute news broadcast only to discover his nose bleeding.
"It was half an hour of news reading, you were locked in, nobody else knew what was going on … the steady patter of blood on the script. That was certainly something I will never forget," he said.
The evening's second session was dedicated to poetry, with readings from an eclectic array of poets from Europe, Asia, the Caribbean and India: four international poets read pieces from their published collections and, in one case, debuted a new work.
The Afro-Guyanese poet John Agard urged the crowd to participate in his poem Alternative Anthem, a humorous dissection of why the English love tea.
"Put the kettle on! It is the British answer to Armageddon," he roared.
"Never mind the taxes rise, never mind the trains are late. One thing you can be sure of, it's not whether you lose, it's not whether you win, it's whether or not you plugged the kettle in."
With more than 100 authors from 25 countries, the festival continues at the InterContinental in Dubai Festival City until Saturday. Highlights from tonight's programme include the Emirati graphic novelist Qais Sedki discussing the Arab world's growing fascination with Japanese manga comics. The Pulitzer Prize-winning war correspondent Steve Coll will also discuss his experience covering Afghanistan.
For all event details, go to www.emirateslitfest.com
sasaeed@thenational.ae
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Kanguva
Director: Siva
Stars: Suriya, Bobby Deol, Disha Patani, Yogi Babu, Redin Kingsley
From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20IPAD%20(2022)
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What is the definition of an SME?
SMEs in the UAE are defined by the number of employees, annual turnover and sector. For example, a “small company” in the services industry has six to 50 employees with a turnover of more than Dh2 million up to Dh20m, while in the manufacturing industry the requirements are 10 to 100 employees with a turnover of more than Dh3m up to Dh50m, according to Dubai SME, an agency of the Department of Economic Development.
A “medium-sized company” can either have staff of 51 to 200 employees or 101 to 250 employees, and a turnover less than or equal to Dh200m or Dh250m, again depending on whether the business is in the trading, manufacturing or services sectors.
Company%20profile
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If you go
Flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh with a stop in Yangon from Dh3,075, and Etihad flies from Abu Dhabi to Phnom Penh with its partner Bangkok Airlines from Dh2,763. These trips take about nine hours each and both include taxes. From there, a road transfer takes at least four hours; airlines including KC Airlines (www.kcairlines.com) offer quick connecting flights from Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville from about $100 (Dh367) return including taxes. Air Asia, Malindo Air and Malaysian Airlines fly direct from Kuala Lumpur to Sihanoukville from $54 each way. Next year, direct flights are due to launch between Bangkok and Sihanoukville, which will cut the journey time by a third.
The stay
Rooms at Alila Villas Koh Russey (www.alilahotels.com/ kohrussey) cost from $385 per night including taxes.
If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
The specs: 2018 Genesis G70
Price, base / as tested: Dh155,000 / Dh205,000
Engine: 3.3-litre, turbocharged V6
Gearbox: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 370hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 510Nm @ 1,300rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 10.6L / 100km
UAE central contracts
Full time contracts
Rohan Mustafa, Ahmed Raza, Mohammed Usman, Chirag Suri, Mohammed Boota, Sultan Ahmed, Zahoor Khan, Junaid Siddique, Waheed Ahmed, Zawar Farid
Part time contracts
Aryan Lakra, Ansh Tandon, Karthik Meiyappan, Rahul Bhatia, Alishan Sharafu, CP Rizwaan, Basil Hameed, Matiullah, Fahad Nawaz, Sanchit Sharma
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
ADCC AFC Women’s Champions League Group A fixtures
October 3: v Wuhan Jiangda Women’s FC
October 6: v Hyundai Steel Red Angels Women’s FC
October 9: v Sabah FA
The specs
Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Power: 620hp from 5,750-7,500rpm
Torque: 760Nm from 3,000-5,750rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed dual-clutch auto
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh1.05 million ($286,000)
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
Types of fraud
Phishing: Fraudsters send an unsolicited email that appears to be from a financial institution or online retailer. The hoax email requests that you provide sensitive information, often by clicking on to a link leading to a fake website.
Smishing: The SMS equivalent of phishing. Fraudsters falsify the telephone number through “text spoofing,” so that it appears to be a genuine text from the bank.
Vishing: The telephone equivalent of phishing and smishing. Fraudsters may pose as bank staff, police or government officials. They may persuade the consumer to transfer money or divulge personal information.
SIM swap: Fraudsters duplicate the SIM of your mobile number without your knowledge or authorisation, allowing them to conduct financial transactions with your bank.
Identity theft: Someone illegally obtains your confidential information, through various ways, such as theft of your wallet, bank and utility bill statements, computer intrusion and social networks.
Prize scams: Fraudsters claiming to be authorised representatives from well-known organisations (such as Etisalat, du, Dubai Shopping Festival, Expo2020, Lulu Hypermarket etc) contact victims to tell them they have won a cash prize and request them to share confidential banking details to transfer the prize money.
* Nada El Sawy
MADAME%20WEB
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Company%20profile
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Disclaimer
Director: Alfonso Cuaron
Stars: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, Lesley Manville
Rating: 4/5
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Constant Variable (CVT)
Power: 141bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: Dh64,500
On sale: Now
The specs
Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors
Power: 480kW
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh359,900 ($98,000)
On sale: Now
